Municipal incinerator



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May 1, 1962 E. E. SMAUDER 3,031,981

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7 @KIVI/S United States Patenti 3,031,981 MUNICIPAL INClNERATOR Ellis E. Smauder, Birmingham, Mich., assigner to American Incinerator Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a-corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 11, 1958, Ser. No. 754,361 Claims. (Cl. 110-8) This invention relates to incinerators, and more particularly to the automatic incineration of municipal and heavy industrial refuse.

The development and construction of municipal incinerating equipment presents several important problems which it is the general object of this invention to overcome. Besides the necessity of accomplishing large scale incineration at the lowest possible cost per ton of refuse, incinerating units of this type must be capable of meeting the most stringent air pollution and other health and safety requirements and must have low initial, operating and maintenance costs.

Among the reasons why presently known municipal incinerating equipment has failed to overcome -all these problems in a satisfactory manner has been that conventional material handling systems in and adjacent the furnace have been incapable of moving the refuse with full eiciency, thus detracting from the economy of the operation and creating additional problems in the combustion as well as other phases of the process.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved municipal incinerator which will fully meet the above requirements and which provides for continuous feed of refuse, the material handling components both in the furnace and at the entrance and rexit thereof being capable of a highly efficient and economical movement of the refuse in an automatic manner.

It is another object to provide an improved municipal incinerator of this type which includes means for carefully controlling the combustion, cooling and excess air required for the process of combustion` and at the same time provides for a wide range of adjustment.

It is a further object to provide an improved municipal incinerator of the above character which includes a novelY final burn-down chamber which will insure even and continuous burning, and will eliminate delays due to the accumulation of unburned material in one portion of the furnace. y c

It is also an object to provide an improved incinerator of this nature which provides forrelicient retention and removal of fly ash in anl economical manner.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become lapparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

`FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view in elevation of the improved municipal incinerator of this invention, showing the relative locations of the various stations;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view, partially in cross section, of the incinerator, as used in an installation having a plurality of parallel units;

v `FIGURE. 3 is afragrnentary elevational view in cross section of the final burndown chamber; e

*FIGURE 4 is a sectional plan view takenv along 'the line-4 4 of FIGURE 3` and showing; the reciprocating stokers;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of FIGURE 3 and showing the internal construction of the curtain 4Wall and associated water supply P1195; w

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 6 6 of FIGURE 3 and showing the connection between the curtain wall and the spray pipe therefor; v

"ice" 2 `FIGURE? is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIGURE 3. and showing the return line used when full Water pressure is appliedA tol the curtain wall; e

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary elevational View showing the deector carriage for diverting the ash to one or the other of the pickup cross conveyors; and

'FIGURE 9 is a plan view of the deilector carriage.

In general terms, the novel municipal incinerator of this invention is of elongated shape and has a receiving hopper at one end adapted to be located adjacent a crane operating center, so that refuse dumped from delivery trucks may be placed in the hopper. During operation, the hopper is kept filled, and a plurality of reciprocating ram feeders at the bottom of the hopper are adapted to force the refuse past a regulating or shut-olf gate into a drying chamber. Novel means are provided for varying lthe position of the gate so that the rate of feed may be restricted, and means are also provided for automatically stopping the gate if it encounters `an obstruction during its closing movement.

The activated grates in the dryingl chamber move the refuse to a primary combustion chamber which has a plurality of zones of independently controllable activated burning grates, so that the rate of feed of the burning refuse may be varied in accordance with requirements. At the lower end of the burning grates is a iinal burndown chamber of novel construction. This charnber comprises a space at the bottom of which is a sloping floor, with a water-cooled curtain wall above this floor to confine the burning refuse. A plurality of agitators are provided in spaced relation with the curtain wall for slowly stoking the mass which collects in this chamber, yand reciprocating rams are disposed below the agitators to remove the burned-out refuse. A blower is also provided for forcing air upwardly through the burning mass at a slight pressure. A main ash conveyor of an underwater endless drag link type is disposed below the drying chamber, primary combustion chamber and nal burndown chamber.

The combustion gases pass through a mixing chamber and flue to a secondary combustion or smoke-burning chamber, and then pass to a settling chamber. Means are provided for passing the combustion gases through a ily ash Wet collector or alternately discharging the gases directly to the vent stack. The wet collector includesl a novel inclined baffle construction for increased efficiency in retention of ily ash. The fly ash conveyor is of an underwater endless drag link type passing under the wet collector and secondary combustion chamber. and' delivering fly ash to the main incinerator ash conveyor with which-it is aligned. In cases where the incinerator is one of several which operate in parallel and have two pickup cross conveyors for ash reception, a novel diverting arrangement is provided for delivering the ash from a particular incinerator to one or the other of the cross conveyors. l

Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIGURES 1 and 2 show the overall layout of the incinerator whichk is generally indicated at 21'. In the illustrated embodiment, several incinerators 21 are shown in side-by-side relation within a building 22 which is provided at one end with a dumping area 23 for the reception of refuse incinerators 21 are constructed have not been designated in most instances, it being understood that conventional construction and refractory materials will be used as required.

Before considering each of the incinerator stations in detail, it is believed advisable to present a brief summary of these stations with reference to FIGURE l. Crane l25 is adapted to dump the refuse into a receiving hopper 28,

this hopper having means at its lower end lfor feeding the refuse to a drying chamber 29. From the drying chamber the refuse is moved to a primary combustion chamber 31 and then to a final burndown chamber 32 located adjacent corridor 26. Ash from the iinal burndown chamber, as well as that from the primary combustion and drying chambers, collects on a main incinerator ash conveyor 33, while the combustion gases pass through a mixing chamber 34 above corridor 26 to a secondary combustion or smoke burning chamber 35. The lower end of this chamber has a lateral connection 36 leading to a settling chamber 37, which as seen in FIGURE 2 is alongside the combustion chamber. A direct connection 38 is provided from chamber 37 to a vent stack 39 aligned therewith, opening of this bypass being controlled by a damper 41. The upper end of settling chamber 37 has a connection 42, seen best in FIGURE l, which leads to a mixing tower 43 aligned with the combustion chambers. The lower end of mixing tower 43 is connected to a wet collector 44 aligned therewith at the exit end of which an induced draft fan 45V is provided, the outlet of this fan being connected with stack 39. A ily ash and collector residue conveyor 46 is disposed between collector 44 and mixing tower 35, this conveyor being aligned with and delivering material to conveyor 33.

Final burndown-chamber 32 is seen in detail in FIG- URES 3 toV 7 and is located adjacent corridor 26 which may have a viewing port 83 so that the operatorkmay observe the combustion process in chambers 31 and 32. The nal burndown chamber is of downwardly ilared shape, having a relatively narrow throat at its upper Vend between the rounded edge 84 of the main combustion chamber oor and the adjacent wall of corridor 26. Extending downwardly `from lip 84 is a water-cooled curtain wall 85, this wall being slanted away fromv the forward portion of the burndown chamber. Curtain wall 85 is of hollow construction, as seen in FIGURES 3 andS, and a pipe 36V is secured along its upper end, this pipe having apertures 37. connecting with the curtain wall. The Awall has internal baies 8S for facilitating circulation of the water which is supplied to pipe S6 by a water supply conduit 89. A valve 91 is disposed in conduit S9 and will normally permit only a restricted rate of water iiow. A temperature sensing element 92 Vis disposed within curtain wall 85 and is connected by means shown schematically at 93 to valve 91, so that when the water temperature rises above a predetermined value, valve 91- will open fully to permit full water pressure to flow through pipe 86 and f curtain wall 85. A full pressure return conduit 94 is connectedY to one end of curtain wall 35 as seen in FIGURES 3 and 7. Return pipe 94 has a valve 95 which is controlled by temperature sensing element 92 through a connection shown schematically at 96, so that valve 95 will open simultaneously with full opening of valve 91. vA spray pipe 97 extends along the back surface of the curtain wall along its upper portion, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 6, this pipe being connected to curtain wall 85 by a conduit 98 and having sprayy apertures 99 which will direct a water spray against the back of the wall. As the spray runs down the curtain wall, it will serve to quench the ash exiting from the burndown chamber, and will also help cool curtain wall 85. The water spray will constitute the exit for the water supplied to wall S when valve 91 is in its restricted-how position.

Spaced below curtain 85 isa downwardly and iorwardly sloping floor 101, this door extending a substantial distance forwardly of curtain wall 85, as seen in FIGURE 3, to prevent undesired air flow through the iinal burnshown in the illustrated embodiment, each agitator being of segmental shape and being movable by a reciprocating motor 163. Each agitator is adapted to be rocked between the solid-line and dot-dash line positions shown in FIGURE 3, so that the mass of refuse disposed between agitators 1027and curtain wall Will be continually stoked. The agitators may be operable alternately or in unison at the will of the operator in control center 107 and at any desired speed. Thus, continuous and even burning of the refuse may be achieved, and if any unburned material is observed by the operator at a specific location in the mass of refuse in burndown chamber 32, he may operate corresponding agitatorsr12 to stoke this refuse for burning. It should be noted that the arcuate bottom wall 104`a d the side walls 105 of each agitator 102 will prevent any refuse from passing between the agitators during their movement. A pipe 106 may be disposed above the agitators to carry spray water for preventing overheating of the agitators.

Immediately below agitators 1112 are a plurality of dis'- charge rams 107 which are slidable on iioor 101 between the solid line and dot-dash line positions of FIGURE 3. Three such rams 'are shown in the illustrated embodiment, the rams being movable by reciprocating motors 10S. As in the case of agitators 162, rams 107 may be independently controllable by the operator in order to achieve even removal of the ash. Also provided adjacent burndown chamber 32 are a plurality of blowers 109, two blowers being shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The blowers are adapted to apply forced air at a relatively low pressure to the refuse in burndown chamber 32. For this purpose, blowers 109 are disposed below corridor 26 and rearwardly of agitators 102 and rams 107, the air from the blowers being guided between floor 111 of corridor 26 and 27 and a plate 112 seen in FIGURE 3, and liowing around the agitators and rams into the burndown chamber.

Fly ash and collector residue conveyor -46 is of an underwater endless drag link type and is adapted to collect ash from collector 44 as well as mixing'tower 43, settling chamber 37 and secondary combustion chamber 35. One end 138 of this conveyor is disposed above the adjacent end `of conveyor 33 which is also of the underwater endless drag link type, so that conveyor 33 Will transport the ash to the pickup cross conveyors.

In the illustrated embodiment, two parallel endless drag link pickup cross conveyors 139 and 141 are shown, these conveyors extending transversely to incinerators 21. Novel means are provided for selectively discharging the 'ash from conveyor 33 of anyl incinerator to one or the other of the cross conveyors. This means is shown in FIGURES Sand 9 and is indicated generally at 142.

.positions `of FIGURE 9. Frame 143 carries a' pair of inclined chutes 145 and 146, these chuteshaving upperl ends which are aligned with exit 147 of conveyor 33. The lower end of chute 145 is alignedwith cross conveyor 141, while the lower end of chute 146 is aligned with cross conveyor 139. It will thus be seen that with diverter 142 in the solid line position of FIGURE 9, the `ash will be discharged to cross conveyor 141, while movement of diverter 142 to its dot-dash line position will cause the ash to be discharged to conveyor 139. Diverter 142 may be moved between its positions by a reciprocating motor 148. removal conveyor 149 is provided -at one end of building 22 for carrying the ash to trucks 151.

Although the operation of the incinerator will be apparent from the foregoing description, a brief summary is here provided in order to bring out the cooperation between the various incinerator components. Crane 25 will supply the refuse to receiving hopper 28, the hopper being kept at least partially tilled dur-ing normal operation so that air will be prevented from flowing therethrough, and the refuse will travel through drying chamber 29 to main combustion chamber 31. The various zones of burning grates in the combustion chamber will be activated in accordance with requirements, ash from the grates falling onto conveyor 33, and the refuse will then enter nal burndown chamber 32. Here, agitators 102 will stoke the burning refuse which will be retained by curtain wall 85 and gradually descend to oor 101 where the ash will be removed by rams 107 to underwater conveyor 33.

The ash-laden combustion gases will pass through mixing chamber 34 and secondary combustion chamber 35, entering settling chamber 37. Assuming that bypass damper 41 is closed, the gases will enter mixing tower l43 where they will be mixed with air drawn by fan 45 and with water spray. The gases will pass through collector 44, conveyor 46 removing the fly 4ash trapped in the collector as well as that deposited in secondary cornbustion chamber 35. The gases will then be forced by fan 45 to vent stack 39.

To summarize the means for delivering ash from the primary combustion chamber, secondary combustion chamber and wet collector to their respective conveyors, `ash will drop through the grates of primary combustion chamber 31 to conveyor 33. Ash deposited in secondary combustion chamber 35 will fall onto conveyor 46.' Ash trapped in wet collector 44 will also be carried off by conveyor 46.

lt will be observed that the incinerator is adapted for completely `automatic operation which not only results in carefully controlled combustion of the refuse but `also permit rapid and continuous ash removal. The operator in control center 27 will be able to vary the rate of feed of refuse from hopper 28 into the drying and combustion chambers, as well as the rate of movement of the refuse in various portions of the combustion chamber. Likewise, any unevenness in the combustion process which might occur in burndown chamber 32 may easily be remedied by controlling agitators 102, thus preventing a holdup at this station from delaying the movement of refuse in other parts of the incinerator. The aligned nature of ash conveyors 33 and 46, and the novel diverting means for cross conveyors 139 and 141, will insure constant ash removal from the incinerator.

While it will be apparent that the embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fullill the objects of the invention, it will be appreciatedv that the invention is susceptible to modification, variations yand change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a municipal incinerator, a combustion chamber having a floor, a wall spaced from the exit end of said combustion chamber and extending a relatively short distance therebelow, a water-cooled curtain wall secured beneath the exit end of said combustion chamber floor and extending downwardly and away from said rstnamed wall, a plurality lof agitators movably mounted in side-by-side relation below said first-mentioned wall and in spaced relation with said curtain wall, means for independently moving each of said agitators toward and away from said curtain wall, a oor spaced below said curtain wall and said agitators, reciprocable means for removing burned refuse from said last-mentioned floor, and means for forcing air into the space between said curtain wall and agitators.

2. The combination according to claim 1, said curtain wall comprising a water pipe extending below the exit end of said combustion chamber oor, a hollow wall secured to and extending downwardly from said pipe, apertured portions in said pipe connecting with said hollow wall, battles within said hollow wall, and a water return line connected to one end of the hollow wall.

3. 11n a municipal incinerator, a primary combustion chamber, a secondary combustion chamber in communication with said primary combustion chamber, and a wet collector in communication with said secondary combustion chamber, a first ash conveyor below said primary combustion chamber and means for depositing ash from said primary chamber onto said first conveyor, a second ash conveyor below said secondary combustion chamber and wet collector and means for depositing ash from said secondary chamber and wet collector onto said second conveyor, said ash conveyors being of the endless drag link type and being in alignment, the exit of said second ash conveyor being positioned to discharge ash onto said first ash conveyor, a pickup cross conveyor, and means for discharging the ash from said first ash conveyor onto said pickup cross conveyor.

4. In a municipal incinerator of the type adapted for use in parallel with other incinerators having two adjacent parallelpickup ash conveyors extending thereacross, an incinerator ash conveyor having its exit end above the two pickup cross conveyors, and a diverter for selectively discharging ash from the incinerator ash conveyor to one or the other of the two pickup cross conveyors, said diverter comprising a carriage movable transversely to the incinerator ash conveyor, a pair of inclined chutes on said carriage, the openings at the upper ends of said chutes being aligned in the direction of said pickup cross conveyors, the opening at the lower end of one of said chutes being above the iirst cross conveyor, the opening at the lower end of the other chute being above the second cross conveyor, and means for moving said carriage between a first position in which the upper end of said rst chute is aligned with the exit of said incinerator ash conveyor, and a second position in which the upper end of said second chute is aligned with the exit of said incinerator ash conveyor.

5. The combination according to claim 1, said agitators being positioned in the path of forced air.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,210,363 Regan Dec. 26, 1916 1,239,403 Kidwell Sept. 4, 1917 1,304,235 Woolson May 20, 1919 1,375,679 Danner Apr. 26, 1921 1,382,503 Hagan June 21, 1921 1,525,048 Robey Feb. 3, 1925 1,698,135 Kohout Jan. 8, 1929 1,867,474 `Ratel July 12, 1932 1,952,389 Staples Mar. 27, 1934 2,011,344 Kelly Aug. 13, 1935 2,180,196 Corbett Nov. 14, 1939 2,261,540 Coder Nov. 4, 1941 2,499,735 Ellis Mar. 7, 1950 2,546,259 'Penn Mar. 27, 1951 Y 2,648,395 Pond Aug. 11, 1953 

